survey on Dermatophilosis in sheep in the North of Iran

Dermatophilosis is one of the bacterial skin diseases of animals and man caused by Dermatophilus congolensis [D. congolensis] and was first reported by Van Saceghem, 1915 in cattle in the Belgian Congo. This disease has a worldwide distribution. The prevalence of the disease is higher in animals living in warm and humid conditions. The disease usually occurs immediately after the first heavy rain. Dermatophilosis has not yet been reported in sheep in the North of Iran. Skin scab samples were collected from 120 sheep in this region after the first rain in the middle of summer. Smears were prepared and stained by Gimsa method. Because of unique appearance of D. congolensis, a strong presumptive diagnosis was made on the direct examination of stained smears alone. However, in the absence of the bacteria in stained smears, bacterial cultures were performed by Haalstra method. Only 5 out of 120 samples confirmed D. congolensis in direct examination. Bacterial cultures from negative samples were also unsuccessful